Transfer bench

ABSTRACT

A bench can be used with at least one of a bathtub and a shower. The bench includes a seating surface, a support for supporting the seating surface, and a restraining member configured to restrain a shower curtain when the bench is disposed at least partly within a bathtub. The restraining member can include a drain configured to direct liquid into the bathtub while the restraining member restrains the shower curtain. The bench may also include a handle adjacent the seating surface and a soap dish disposed substantially under the handle. The bench may also have a pad including foam that can be positioned on the seating surface to provide a second seating surface, and connectors that maintain the pad in position on the seating surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to bath safety products and, moreparticularly, to a bench that is adapted to be used in and aroundbathtubs and/or showers.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] To maintain good bodily hygiene, frequent showers and baths arenecessary. A number of people find it necessary to sit while showeringbecause, for example, they cannot stand, they are unable to stand for anextended period of time, or they have difficulty standing on a slicksurface. In such instances, a shower aid can help a person transfer inand out of the bathtub. For example, elderly people will often sit on ashower seat while taking a shower. This lessens the chances that theperson taking the shower will slip and injure himself or herself duringshowering or getting in and out of the bathtub.

[0005] There are problems with conventional shower seats. For example,conventional seats do not adequately inhibit water from flowing outsidethe tub.

[0006] Another problem is that conventional seats do not permit the caseof transport of soap and other body cleaning items to and from the seat.Further, conventional seats locate these items in inconvenientlocations.

[0007] Another problem is that conventional shower seats have loadratings which are below the maximum expected load that a seat canexperience during its lifetime. Further, conventional shower seatsexperience short fatigue life, as well as short appearance life, as theyare made from material that is both difficult to clean and is subject tofading and/or corrosion.

[0008] Another problem is that conventional shower seats place too muchreliance on the end-user for assembly and place too much reliance on theend-user to ensure that the seat is configured safely.

[0009] Another problem is that conventional seats have a number ofcomponents that are not ergonomically attached to the seat, thuspromoting injury to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An aspect of the present invention relates to a bench for usewith at least one of a bathtub and a shower. The bench can include aseating surface, a support for supporting the seating surface, and arestraining member configured to restrain a shower curtain when thebench is disposed at least partly within a bathtub. The restrainingmember includes a drain configured to direct liquid into the bathtubwhile the restraining member restrains the shower curtain.

[0011] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a bench foruse with at least one of a bathtub and a shower. The bench can include aseating surface, a support for supporting the seating surface, a handleadjacent the seating surface, and a soap dish disposed substantiallyunder the handle.

[0012] Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a benchfor use with at least one of a bathtub and a shower. The bench caninclude a first seating surface, a support for supporting the firstseating surface, a pad including foam that can be positioned on thefirst seating surface to provide a second seating surface, andconnectors that maintain the pad in position on the first seatingsurface. The connectors can be connected, disconnected, and reconnectedsuch that the pad can be positioned on the first seating surface,removed from the first seating surface, and reconnected to the firstseating surface, respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in andconstitute a part of this specification, illustrate a preferredembodiment of the invention and together with the description, serve toexplain principles of the invention.

[0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a benchaccording to the present invention.

[0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bench of FIG. 1, conceptuallyshowing the components that make up the bench.

[0016]FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the bench of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] Reference will now be made in detail to a presently preferredembodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. An effort has been made to use the same referencenumbers throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

[0018] FIGS. 1-3 show a preferred embodiment of a bench 10 for use witha bathtub and/or shower according to the present invention. The bench 10can be a universal transfer bench. In this embodiment, the bench 10includes a first seating surface 20 (see FIG. 2) and a support 40 forsupporting the first seating surface 20.

[0019] The first seating surface 20 is intended to provide an area uponwhich a person can sit. The first seating surface 20 can include aplatform 21 that is generally rectangular in shape, with curved, roundededges. In the preferred embodiment, the platform 21 has bulbous portions22 and 23 ergonomically positioned. The platform 21 preferably is madefrom molded plastic, such as high modulus polypropylene, and is thecomponent of the bench to which other components are attached. In thepreferred embodiment, the platform 21 has a hollow underside with moldedribbing 24 (see FIG. 3) to provide support, although the invention canbe practiced without ribbing 24, with just a portion of the undersidebeing hollow, or with a solid platform 21.

[0020] The support 40 supports the first seating surface 20. The support40 can include, for example, four legs 41, although more or less legscould be used. These legs 41 can be molded plastic tubes, such as highmodulus polypropylene, of hollow construction. Solid legs can be used aswell. The legs 41 preferably are of a sufficient length to allow theend-user to comfortably sit on the bench and comfortably mount thebench. The legs 41 also are of sufficient length to provide clearanceover the lip of a bathtub if the bench 10 is placed with one or morelegs inside the bathtub.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the legs 41 can incorporate adjusters 42,which allow the lengths of the legs 41 to be individually adjusted forstabilization and to adjust the height of the bench 10. The preferredembodiment of the present invention utilizes adjusters 42 which aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,068, the entire contents of which isincorporated herein by reference. The present invention can be practicedwith another type of adjuster or even without adjusters.

[0022] The legs 41 have rounded bottoms 43, which are made from softrubber, such as Vyram. Other bottoms that can interface with bathtubfloors, bathroom floors, and shower floors also can be used.

[0023] The legs 41 preferably are attached to the platform 21. A legattachment fitting 30 (also referred to as a molded in leg attachmentsocket) preferably is molded into each corner of the platform 21. In thepreferred embodiment, the fittings 30 are located at the perimeter ofthe first seating surface 20 of the platform 21. However, the inventioncan be practiced with the fittings 30 inside or outside the perimeter ofthe first seating surface 20 of the platform 21. The leg attachmentfittings 30 of the preferred embodiment are female connectors with acircular cross-sectional shape, although male connectors and differentcross-sectional shapes could be used. Each leg attachment fitting 30 hasa hole 31 on the side. The leg attachment fittings 30 each also can havean alignment structure, such as a groove (not shown) formed on theinternal side wall of the leg attachment fitting 30. In the preferredembodiment, the groove is aligned axially inside the fitting 30. Thegroove can be slightly tapered to form a funnel shape.

[0024] The legs 41 have structure that mates with the holes 31 andgrooves of the leg attachment fittings 30. In particular, each leg 41has a snap button 42 that mates with a corresponding hole 31 in acorresponding leg attachment fitting 30. By accepting the snap button42, the leg 41 is captured within the attachment fitting 30. The button42 can be hollow or solid. During assembly of the bench 10, the snapbutton 42 is depressed, either by hand or mechanically via a ramp (notshown in the figures) on the inside of the attachment fitting 30, whereit remains depressed until it is aligned with the hole 31 of the fitting30. Once aligned with the hole 31, the button 42 reassumes its normalposition and fits into the hole 31, thus capturing the leg 41. To removethe leg 41 from the fitting 30, the button 42 is depressed, and the leg42 is pulled out of the fitting 30. The button 42 of the preferredembodiment is moveable because the plastic used to form the legs 41 hasa memory that drives the plastic back to its original shape. In thepreferred embodiment, an elongated “U” shaped section of the leg wall iscut out, with the button 42 being on the bottom portion of the “U.”Thus, a cantilever type lever is formed that allows the button greatfreedom of movement about an axis formed at the top of the “U.” However,other means of providing a moveable button are envisioned.

[0025] Each leg 41 also has a ridge 43 that is aligned axially andmolded on the exterior surface on the top portion of the leg 41. Theridge 43 is received in a corresponding groove of a corresponding legattachment fitting 30, which assures that the bench 10 will be assembledin the correct manner. The funnel-shaped groove can grip the ridge 43 onthe leg 41 as the leg is slid into the fitting 30 during assembly. Asridge 43 moves into the narrower portions of the funnel-shaped groove,an interference fit is created, which reduces the axial movement of thelegs 41. Alternatively, the ridge 43 can have a wedge shape and thegroove could have substantially parallel walls, thus the wedge forms aninterference fit with the groove as the leg 41 is slid into the fitting30. Alternatively, a key can be used in place of ridge 43.

[0026] In the preferred embodiment, the legs 41 have another ridge 44that extends over the circumference of the leg 41. Other embodimentscould use a ridge that extends over only a portion of the circumference,or alternatively, a plurality of lugs that are evenly or unevenlyspaced, or a single lug. When the legs 41 are inserted into theattachment fittings 30, the ridges 44 abut lower rims 33 of the fittings30, thus allowing most of the weight placed on the bench to be appliedto the ridge 43 of the legs 41.

[0027] The bench 10 can include a restraining member 60 configured torestrain a shower curtain (not shown) when the bench 10 is disposed atleast partly within a bathtub or shower. Preferably the restrainingmember 60 is disposed adjacent the first seating surface 20 and extendsbelow it. The restraining member 60 can include, for example, a trough61 molded in the platform 21 on the upper portion. While taking ashower, a user can form a shower curtain around the bench and stuff atleast a portion of the curtain into the trough 61 to maintain thecurtain in position.

[0028] The restraining member 60 also can includes a drain 62 configuredto direct liquid into the bathtub or shower while the restraining member60 restrains the shower curtain. Preferably, the trough 61 is angled toallow water to flow toward the center and/or away from the outside ofthe tub. In the preferred embodiment, water from the trough 61 flowsdown water directing surfaces 63, such as side walls of the trough 61,and exits through two drain holes 64 at the bottoms of the trough 61.

[0029] The first seating surface 20 of this preferred embodiment alsoincludes an ergonomic concave area 25 to accommodate the lower portionsof the user. A series of strategically placed holes 26 (not all labeled)are located in the concave area 25 for drainage. The holes 26 can alsobe used for perineal cleaning. By holding a hand held shower wand underthe bench 10, spraying water up through the holes 26 can aid in thebathing process.

[0030] The bench 10 also may include a handle 65 and a soap dish 70. Thehandle 65 can be molded as an integral part of the platform 21 anddisposed adjacent the first seating surface 20. The handle 65 comprisesa horizontal, substantially cylindrical portion or gripping surface 66supported above the platform 21 by vertical portions or handle supports67 and 68. The ends of the handle supports 67 and 68 are molded with theplatform 21, and the gripping surface 66 is molded with the handlesupports 67 and 68. This arrangement provides a gap between the grippingsurface 66 and the first seating surface 20.

[0031] The soap dish 70 can be disposed substantially under the handle65. The gap between the gripping surface 66 and the first seatingsurface 20 permits a user to access the soap dish 70 and the contents ofthe soap dish 70 while sitting on the bench 10. Preferably the soap dish70 extends below the first seating surface 20 and, more preferably, isdisposed entirely below the first seating surface 20. The soap dish 70can be removable, permitting ease of cleaning. It can be made frommolded plastic, such as high modulus polypropylene. The soap dish 70fits into a receptacle or opening 27 (see FIG. 2) formed in the platform21. The soap dish 70 has a soap dish rim 71 that engages a rim of theopening 27 when the soap dish 70 is received in the opening 27. In thepreferred embodiment, the soap dish 60 is held in the opening 27 bygravity, although it can be held in place via a positive retentionmeans. For example, raised surfaces can be provided on either the soapdish 70 or the platform 21, or both, to provide an interference fit whenthe soap dish 70 is attached to the platform 21.

[0032] Another handle 73 (see FIG. 3) can be provided on the platform21. Preferably it is molded integrally with the platform 21. The handle73 can be positioned on the underside of platform 21 and is not aprotrusion type handle like handle 65, although other embodiments canutilize a protrusion type handle.

[0033] In the preferred embodiment, ridges or knurling or dimpling (bothconcave and/or convex) is molded into some or all of the hand grips. Itis noted that the ridges can be substantially elongated, although theridges can be of a smaller or larger configuration. The platform 21 canhave hollow portions (not shown) in the vicinity of the handles toprovide additional clearance for the user's hand. By providing twohandles, the end user can use the bench more securely.

[0034] The bench 10 also may include a pad 80 that can be positioned onthe first seating surface 20 to provide a second seating surface 81. Thepad 80 is preferably made from a soft material that is compatible withthe material of the platform 21. For example, the pad 80 can be made offoam, and is preferably made from a polyethylene compound by molding.

[0035] The pad 80 can have drainage holes and/or slots 83 which extendthrough the pad 80. The drainage holes 83 permit water to flow throughthe pad 80 and into the concave area 25 and/or trough 61 and through thedrainage holes 26 in the platform 21 and/or through holes 64 in thetrough 61. Further, the pad 80 of the preferred embodiment has cut-outs84 which allow the pad to be placed around all or a portion of thesupport struts 94, although other embodiments can utilize a pad withoutcutouts (e.g. the pad does not extend all the way to the supportstruts). Additionally, the pad 80 can be symmetrical in design, thusallowing the pad to be reversed when the back support 90 is reversed.

[0036] The pad 80 can be secured to the platform 21 via connectors 85that maintain the pad 80 in position on the first seating surface 20.The connectors 85 can be connected, disconnected, and reconnected suchthat the pad 80 can be positioned on the first seating surface 20,removed from the first seating surface 20, and reconnected to the firstseating surface 20. The connectors 85 can be, for example, foam plugsmade from the same or similar material as the pad 80, and that also aremade by modling. The connectors 85 fit through holes 86 in the foam pad80, as well as holes 28 molded into the platform 21. In the preferredembodiment, the connectors 85 each have a tapered surface 87 (aninverted frustum-shaped portion), which allows the connectors 85 tocollapse while being pulled through the holes 86 in the pad 80 and theholes 28 in the platform 21. Once the connector 85 is pulled through ahole it springs back to its original profile to secure the pad 80 inplace. To remove the pad 80, the connector 85 is squeezed at its taperedsurface 87 and pushed back through the hole. The connectors 85 canresemble bolts for wooden garage doors, having a rounded end with anouter diameter that is greater than the diameter of the shank portion ofthe connector 85. The rounded end of the connector 85 is shaped so as tonot interfere with the user if the end-user sits on the bench directlyabove on of the plugs. While the preferred embodiment utilizes fourconnectors, more or fewer connectors can be used to practice theinvention.

[0037] The bench 10 may also include two recess areas 88 molded into theside of the platform 21. The recesses 88 allow a shower wand to beconnected to the bench 10. While recesses 88 are utilized to practicethe preferred embodiment of the present invention, other means can beutilized.

[0038] The bench 10 can include a back support 90. The back support 90of the bench is configured to be comfortable and to support the back ofthe user. In the preferred embodiment, the back support 90 comprises aback support body 91 that can be made from molded plastic, such as highmodulus polypropylene. In the preferred embodiment, the back supportbody 91 has a hollow backside with molded ribbing (not shown) to providesupport, although the invention can be practiced without ribbing, withjust a portion of the backside being hollow, or with a solid backsupport body 91. The back support body 91 of the preferred embodiment iscontoured to interface with the back of the user. The back support body91 has handles 92 and 93 near its upper ends. These handles 92 and 93can be molded into the back support 90, and, in the preferredembodiment, do not protrude from the basic shape of the back supportbody 91. The handles 92 and 93 are ergonomically designed to allow theend-user to comfortably grasp the bench 10.

[0039] The back support 90 also includes the support struts 94 forsupporting the back support body 91. In the preferred embodiment, thesupport struts 94 are molded integrally with the back support body 91.The invention can be practiced with support struts that are mechanicallyattached to the body. Each support strut 94 has an adapter 95 that isconfigured to fit into receptacles 29 (described below) on the platform21. The adapters 95 have a greater cross sectional area than the upperportion of the support strut 94, although the invention can be practicedwith an adapter having the same cross sectional area as the supportstrut, or the invention can be practiced with support struts that do nothave adapters. The adapters 95 have a lip 96 around the upper portion ofthe adapters 95. This lip 96 prevents the adapter 95 from slidingcompletely through the receptacle 29 if the receptacle 29 extendscompletely through the platform 21. Also, the lip 96 allows the heightof the back support 90 to be precisely controlled.

[0040] The adapters 95 have snap clips 97 molded into the adapters 95.The snap clips 97 can be either hollow or solid. During assembly of thebench 10, the snap clip 97 is depressed, either by hand or mechanicallyvia a ramp on the inside of the receptacle 29 (not shown in thefigures), where it remains depressed until it is aligned with a hole onthe inside of the receptacle (not shown). Once aligned with the hole,the clip 97 reassumes its normal position and fits into the hole, thuscapturing the back support 90. To remove the back support 90 from theplatform 21, the clip 97 is depressed by hand completely outside orsubstantially outside the hole in the receptacle 29, and the backsupport 90 is pulled out of the receptacle 29. The clip 97 of thepreferred embodiment is moveable because the plastic used to form theadapters 95 has a memory that drives the plastic back to its originalshape. In the preferred embodiment, an elongated squared “U” shapedsection of the adapter wall is cut out, with the clip being on the “U”.Thus, a cantilever type lever is formed that allows the clip greatfreedom of movement about an axis formed at the top of the “U.” Theprinciple of operation is much the same as that of the buttons 42 on thelegs 41. However, other means of providing a moveable clip areenvisioned. Further, other means of securing the back support 90 to theplatform are envisioned.

[0041] Receptacles 29 for receiving the back support 90 can be moldedinto the upper portion of the platform 21. The receptacles 29 of thepreferred embodiment are configured to receive the adapters 95 on thesupport struts 94 of the back support 90. Preferably, as is seen in FIG.2, the receptacles 29 take the form of slots along or near the peripheryof the seating surface of the platform 21. The receptacles 29 arepositioned on either side of the platform 21, thus allowing the bench tobe usable in a bath or shower with the entrance to the bath or shower onthe left or right side, because the back support 90 can be mounted oneither side of the platform 21.

[0042] In the preferred embodiment, the bench 10 can be placed in thebathtub with handle 50 and soap dish 60 against the inside wall of thetub. To reverse the seating direction depending on the water faucetlocation, the back support is simply moved.

[0043] Further, in the preferred embodiment, fillers 99 can be providedwhich are placed in the receptacles 29 that are not being used. However,it is envisioned that the invention can be practiced without the fillers99. Fillers 99 of the preferred embodiment are made from the samematerial or substantially the same material as the platform 21. Theycover all of the open portion of the empty receptacles 29, and wheninstalled, provide a flush or semi-flush top surface of platform 21. Thefillers 99 are held in place by extended clips 100, which positivelyfasten the fillers inside the receptacles 29, although other retentionmeans are envisioned.

[0044] Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practiceof the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specificationand examples be considered as exemplary only.

What is claimed is:
 1. A bench for use with at least one of a bathtuband a shower, the bench comprising: a seating surface; a support forsupporting the seating surface; and a restraining member configured torestrain a shower curtain when the bench is disposed at least partlywithin at least one of a bathtub and a shower, wherein the restrainingmember includes a drain configured to direct liquid into at least one ofthe bathtub and the shower while the restraining member restrains theshower curtain.
 2. The bench of claim 1, wherein the drain includes awater directing surface and an opening in the water directing surfacethat allows liquid to pass to the bathtub.
 3. The bench of claim 2,wherein the opening is positioned below the water directing surface. 4.The bench of claim 1, wherein the restraining member is adjacent theseating surface and extends below the seating surface.
 5. The bench ofclaim 1, wherein the restraining member includes a trough having anopening that allows liquid to pass to the bathtub.
 6. The bench of claim5, wherein the trough is adjacent the seating surface and extends belowthe seating surface.
 7. The bench of claim 1, wherein the supportincludes a plurality of legs extending downward from the seatingsurface.
 8. A bench for use with at least one of a bathtub and a shower,the bench comprising: a seating surface; a support for supporting theseating surface; a handle adjacent the seating surface; and a soap dishdisposed substantially under the handle.
 9. The bench of claim 8,further comprising an opening in the seating surface, wherein theopening is configured to receive the soap dish.
 10. The bench of claim9, wherein the opening has an opening rim, the soap dish has a soap-dishrim, and the soap-dish rim engages the opening rim when the soap dish isreceived in the opening.
 11. The bench of claim 9, wherein the soap dishis constructed to be insertable into and removable from the opening. 12.The bench of claim 8, wherein the soap dish extends below the seatingsurface.
 13. The bench of claim 12, wherein the soap dish is disposedentirely below the seating surface.
 14. The bench of claim 8, whereinthe soap dish has a length in a horizontal direction, a width in thehorizontal direction, a depth in a vertical direction, and the depth isgreater than at least one of the length and the width.
 15. The bench ofclaim 8, wherein the handle includes a gripping surface and a handlesupport that facilitates supporting the gripping surface above theseating surface so as to provide a gap between the gripping surface andthe seating surface that permits access to the soap dish.
 16. The benchof claim 8, wherein the support includes a plurality of legs extendingdownward from the seating surface.
 17. A bench for use with at least oneof a bathtub and a shower, the bench comprising: a first seatingsurface; a support for supporting the first seating surface; a padincluding foam that can be positioned on the first seating surface toprovide a second seating surface; and connectors that maintain the padin position on the first seating surface, wherein the connectors can beconnected, disconnected, and reconnected such that the pad can bepositioned on the first seating surface, removed from the first seatingsurface, and reconnected to the first seating surface, respectively. 18.The bench of claim 17, wherein the connectors include a foam material.19. The bench of claim 18, wherein the connectors are formed entirely ofa foam material.
 20. The bench of claim 18, wherein the connectorsextend from the pad into openings in the first seating surface.
 21. Thebench of claim 17, wherein the support includes a plurality of legsextending downward from the seating surface.